Last year, Bob and Matt Hagin evaluated the Buick Park Avenue sedan
and agreed that it could use more power. The 2000 Park Avenue they tried
this week is the Ultra version with more horses and other goodies.)

MATT - The '99 Park Avenue that we had was a very nice car, but its
performance was weak, especially if the driver was into "spirited"
motoring. I'm glad we had the milder model before we got this Ultra
version. They're both powered by the ubiquitous 3.8 liter V6 engine
that's been a staple in the General Motors vehicles powerplant arsenal
for a long time, but the extra 100 pounds of supercharger hardware makes
a big difference. Although the top speed hasn't increased, the Ultra has
considerably more get-up-and-go from a traffic light, and in highway
driving, its 30 to 70 MPH times are noticeably shorter. It has 240
horsepower and the pulling power has been increased too. It puts out 280
pound/feet of torque, which is an increase of about 20 percent over the
same unit without the blower. Both the block and cylinder heads are
cast iron and it lacks the sophisticated valve train of some of the
other cars in the G.M. stable, but the missing technology isn't obvious
from the driver's seat.

BOB - The Ultra has several other items as standard equipment that
puts it a few notches above the unsupercharged version. The front seats
are heated and it has a neat traction control system that the company
calls "StabiliTrak." This device intervenes if the driver is getting
into trouble when making a turn at an inappropriate speed or if the car
is losing traction on slippery roads. It will apply braking power to one
of the front brakes individually in order to bring the car back under
control. If the car is beginning to wash out and understeer, it applies
pressure to the inside front brake to straighten it out, and if the rear
end starts to come around, it applies pressure to the outside front
brake to bring it back into shape. I wish we'd been able to try this
system on a controlled skid-pad to get the effect first-hand. The way
it's described, it's a really great safety feature.

MATT - Last year, we described the standard Park Avenue as being a
typical company car for conservative mid-management types who are in the
market for a car with lots of creature-comforts at a relatively low
price. But with the addition of the supercharger on the Ultra, the Park
Avenue will appeal the corporate types who still need the conservative
image, but want to whip through mountain roads when the spirit moves
them. There's enough space in the trunk for luggage for a family of four
and if the family has some ski buffs, it has a rear seat pass-though
that can accommodate a couple of sets of long skis.

BOB - Like the engine, the suspension system on both of the Park
Avenues is pretty conventional with MacPherson struts up front and
trailing links in back, but tuned a little tighter in the Ultra than the
standard model. The rear also has a load-leveling system to keep the car
on an even keel if it's carrying a heavy load. I appreciated the fact
that the door locks are automatically unlocked within 15 second of an
air-bag deployment. If the bags go off in a collision, the OnStar
cellular phone option automatically calls 911 at the same time. The
OnStar system operates from a global positioning system that uses
satellites to pinpoint the exact location of the car. It's also handy if
the car is stolen because it tracks its location the same way. OnStar
also provides a map for getting around in unfamiliar territory.

MATT - The interior features seating that is typically Buick-plush
but not mushy, and the driver's seat can be adjusted in almost every
position. The driver gets a clear view of the necessary instruments
through the upper half of the steering wheel, but it takes some time to
get comfortable with the global positioning device. You almost need a
navigator in the passenger's seat to keep track of things but if it's
used correctly, it makes it almost impossible to get lost.

BOB - As I get older, Matt, I find that a gadget that keeps me from
having to stop to ask directions is lots more useful than extra
horsepower and special hot-rod tires.

The following titles and media identifications are trademarks
owned by The Auto Channel, LLC and have been in continuous use
since 1987: The Auto Channel, Auto Channel and TACH all have
been in continuous use world wide since 1987, in Print, TV,
Radio, Home Video, Newsletters, On-line, and other interactive
media; all rights are reserved and infringement will be acted
upon with force.